With the college football season fast approaching, many of the pre-season watch lists have been coming out recently. Two Seminoles were added to another preseason watch list this week. Senior running back Jaques Patrick and sophomore running back Cam Akers were named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list. This award recognizes the best running back in the country.

Last season Akers broke onto the scene by smashing Dalvin Cook’s freshman season rushing record with 1,094 rushing yards over 13 games. He also finished the season with seven rushing touchdowns and one through the air, two of those rushing touchdowns came in a 27-24 nailbiter victory where Akers rushed for 199yds. That was the second most rushing yards by a Florida State freshman in a single game.

This is the second time Partrick has been named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, he was nominated for the distinction last season. In his junior season he played in nine games and posted 748 yards, with seven touchdowns over 134 carries.

From 2015-16 he played second fiddle to Dalvin Cook, but this past season he was able to take on more of a leadership role to show the ropes to younger backs like Akers and redshirt freshman Khalan Laborn. One big key for Patrick to make a push for the Doak Walker Award would be for him to remain healthy as he did miss some time last season due to a knee injury.

Florida State junior running back Jacques Patrick breaks struggles to break free from the Souther Mississippi defense during the second quarter of the Independence Bowl.(Photo: Andrew Salinero/FSView)

A few other Seminoles were added to other preseason watch lists. Junior defensive end Brian Burns was named to the Bednarik Award watch list, which recognizes the best defensive player in college football. While redshirt junior quarterback Deondre Francois and Akers were named to the Maxwell Award watch list, which is awarded to the best all around player in the nation regardless of position. These awards will be decided at the end of the regular season.

First year FSU head coach Willie Taggart, Cam Akers, and Brian Burns will be in attendance at the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, NC today and Thursday to talk to the national media and answer questions.